Amanda Knox signs Rs 20-cr book deal

The student, who spent 4 years in Italian jail, has inked a deal with HarperCollins for a tell-all

Amanda Knox has a book deal. The young exchange student whose conviction and eventual acquittal of murder charges made headlines worldwide has an agreement with HarperCollins to tell her story.

Set in ink: Amanda Knox will pen a book detailing the terrifying ordeal of her four years in prison. File pic

The 24-year-old Seattle resident, imprisoned for four years in Perugia, Italy, has not publicly discussed her ordeal beyond a brief expression of gratitude upon her release in October last year.

"Knox will give a full and unflinching account of the events that led to her arrest in Perugia and her struggles with the complexities of the Italian judicial system," HarperCollins said in a statement.

"Aided by journals she kept during her imprisonment, Knox will talk about her harrowing experience at the hands of the Italian police and later prison guards and inmates. She will reveal never before-told details surrounding her case, and describe how she used her inner strength and strong family ties to cope with the most challenging time of her young life."

The book, currently untitled, is tentatively scheduled for early next year.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but an official with knowledge of the negotiations said the deal was worth $4 million (Rs 20 crore) for world rights.

Some 20 publishers were interested in the book and Knox met with seven, all of whom submitted bids during a recent auction.

HarperCollins publisher Jonathan Burnham said Knox, who studied creative writing, would work with a collaborator.

Her editor will be Claire Wachtel, whose other authors have included crime novelist Dennis Lehane, journalist Cokie Roberts and US Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas.

The memoir was considered a hot property because the world has yet to hear all the details from Knox , who was found guilty in 2009 of murdering her 21-year-old British housemate, Meredith Kercher, and spent four years in prison.

An Italian court in overturned Knox's conviction in October.

Also cleared was her boyfriend, Rafaele Sollecito, leaving Ivorian drifter Rudy Guede as the only person convicted in a killing investigators believe was carried out by more than one person.